Algebra switch doesn't add up

The continued prosperity of the American economy depends on the strong achievement of students in the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and math. That's especially true of the economy in California, home to world leading companies in such fields as computers (Silicon Valley) and medical devices (Orange County).

So it was dismaying last week when the California Board of Education unanimously voted for “a retreat from a decade-old policy of pushing universal algebra in eighth grade,” reported EdSource, a nonprofit that reports on education. “Proponents of the state's current policy are predicting that enrollment in algebra by eighth grade, which has doubled over the past decade to nearly two-thirds of students, will plummet in coming years.”

Currently, statewide rankings of school test scores rely partly on how well students score in eighth-grade math. The policy change backed by the state board of education means schools can replace algebra on the test rankings with general math, widely seen as an easier course. Basically, it could be argued that the curriculum is being dumbed down.

“It's the wrong move,” Lance Izumi told us; he's an education policy analyst with the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco. “Having algebra in eighth grade prompted many students, especially in minority communities, to become more proficient in it. Now we're returning to the bigotry of low expectations we were suffering before.”

Our editorials a decade ago urged the adoption of the higher state standards to prompt schools to work for higher student achievement.

Mr. Izumi said a major reason for the change is California moving to adopt the lower national standards being advanced by the Obama administration, “replacing the previously high California state standards. These national standards are bad for all states, not just California. They're ceding state authority to central authority. Certainly it won't improve the performance of kids in school. Instead of trying to rise to the challenge, they're lowering expectations. Research shows that the earlier you take algebra, the more you increase proficiency in math down the road.”

Lowering the standard also would tend to make it easier for schools to avoid responsibility for student underperformance. For example, under the state's recently enacted “parent trigger law” a majority of parents at a school can “fire” the school's administration and replace it with new leaders. But making such a decision would depend on parents having accurate data on a school's relative success in teaching such subjects as algebra.

Despite the policy switch at the state level, local school districts still can require algebra for their eighth-graders. They just won't get credit for taking the course on state test scores that parents scrutinize.

We urge Orange County school districts to maintain the eighth-grade algebra requirement. Parents should be vigilant in encouraging districts maintain high standards. Many eighth-graders can benefit from the early foundation in math that algebra provides, especially if they are aiming for a career in one of the STEM fields, which figure to be crucial drivers of continued economic growth in California and the U.S.